Electric time-switch.



W. E. RICHTER.

HLEGTBIO TIME SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED r1113. 4, 1908.

91 3,052. Patented Feb. 23, 1909. Z ZQBHEETB-BHEET 1. q Z

3% M, Q q. 6mm,

W. E. RICHTER.

ELEOTBIO TIME SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED 11:11.4. 190B.

9 1 3,052, Patented Feb. 23, 1909 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2 W. E. RICHTER.

ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED 11:13.4, 1908.

91 3,052. Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

M I I if )2 I W if 5i 15 l #5! 47s.. W

Will Jami. 1960/222 Wifueano ark-nun;

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

mnuenfoz W. E. RICHTER.

ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH.

APPLIGATIOH TILED 1114,1903.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. RICHTER, OF ALBUQUERQUE, TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO.

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No. creme.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23", 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. RICHTER,

1 a citizen of the United States, residing at Albuquerque, in the county of Bernalillo and Territory of New Mexico, have invented new and useful Im rovements in Electric Time- Switches, of w 'ch the following is a speci- A further object of the invention is to provide a switch controlling mechanism which is simple of construction, inex enslve ofproan adapted. to be loyed in conjunction and any ordinary duction, eflicien-t in use easily set and to be em with an ordinary cloc throw switch.

With these and other objects in view, the

invention consists of the features of construcsection of the casing.

tion, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawmgs, in which:- t.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the complete switch controlling mechanism. Fig. 2 1s a vertical front-to-rear section on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the front section of the casing and parts of the switch mechanism supported thereby. Figs. 4 and 5 are sections taken, respectively, on ,the lines 4-4, and 5-5 of Fig. 3.. Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the restraining levers or arms. and the spring finger connected therewith. Fig.. 7 is a section, on line 77 ofi Fig. 2, showing particularly the parts of'the switch mechanism sup orted upon the rear ig. 8 is a view of one of the spring-actuated detents and the trip lever and cam associated therewith. Fig. 9,

is a sectional view through one of'the camact-uatmggears and the cam and setting mechanism connected therewith. Figs. 10

and 11 are views similar to Fig. -2 showing different positions of the switch mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a base-board or other suitable support, 'upon which is pivotally mounted an ordinary throw switch 2 adapted to swing into engagement with contacts 3 to connect the light circuit with a supply circuit. I have not deemed it necessary to show the circuit connections,.as these form no part of my invention.

Supported upon the boardl below the switc is a caslng formed of sections 3 and 4', the section 3 bein secured in any suitable manner to the boar Thesaid sections of the casing may be of any suitable construction, but in the present instance I have shown the stationary section 3 as com rising a back plate 5, top and bottom wa ls 6 and 7, and a side wall 8, the op osite side of said section being .open, while t e'removable front or cover section 4 comprises a front plate 9 having top and bottom flanges or walls 10 and 11 and a side flange or wall 12, the o posite side of said section being open. The out wall of the cover section is adapted to close the 0 en front of the stationary section 3, and t e-walls 10 and 11 fit over upon the outer faces of the walls 6 and 7, the wall 8 of the section 3 closing the open side of the cover section while the wall 12 of the cover section covers the openside of the stationary section. This construction is employed to 'mount the parts of the switch operating mechanism and the time piece to admit of ready access thereto for repairing and setting said mechanism and renewing the parts as occasion requires, the top and bottom walls of the cover sectiori being relatively shorter than the corresponding walls of the stationary section to-provide for the passage of the members of the switch-actuating device, as hereinafter described. The cover 96 section is shown in the present instance as removably secured in position by tongues or projections 12 on the walls 6 and 7 engaging slots or o enings 13 in the wall 12, thus connecting t e sections at one side while a spring 100 catch 14 is provided upon the wall 8 to engage the wall 9, and thus connect the sections together at the opposite side. Pressure upon the finger piece of the catch 14 will move the same outwardly from engagement with the wall 9, allowing the section 4 to be moved laterally for disconnection from the tongues 12, thus separating said section from the section 3.

Upon the front portion of the cover section 4 is supported a time piece 15, which may be of any suitable type, and which is secured in position by clam ing rods or other suitable fastenings 16. 'I he back of this time piece is exposed through an opening 17 in the wall 9, thus allowing the winding and setting stems 18 and 19 of said time piece to be manipulated when the cover section is detached. The time iece is preferably of a character in which t e setting stem 19 makes one conplete revolution every twenty-four hours, and in accordance with my invention said stem is provided with a pinion 20 meshin with a gear 21 on a shaft or arbor 22 journa ed in the plate 9 and a bracket 23 carried thereb and carrying upon the rear side of said p ate 9 a pinion 24. The inion 24 is arranged between and meshes wlth a pair of gear wheels 25 and 26, which res ectively control sets-of devices governing t e action of the switch 0 crating means to close and open the switc The gears 25 and 26 are adapted to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction by the pinion 24and are similar in construction, an each has associated therewith a setting mechanism and a device controlled thereby to operate the coacting switch closing or switch opening means. The gear 25, for example, is loosely mounted upon a spindle '27 journaled in the plate 9 and carries a fixed dial 28 bearin against a shoulder 29 on the up er end of t e spindle. Below the ear whee is arranged a spring pressure or iction disk 30, loosely fitted on the spindle between the underslde of the disk and a collar 31 fixed to the spindle, said disk being preferably of concavo convex form and serving to normally connect the arts for rotation in unison, while ermitting independent manual rotation of t e spindle through the medium of a finger piece 32. The lower ends of the spindles of the two gears 25 and 26 respectively carry cams 33 and 34, each preferably of the form shown in Fig. 8, said cams being fixed to the spindles, while upon the upper ends of the spindles are respectively fixed hands or ointers 35 and 36 arranged to cooperate wit the dials of the respective gears. The gear 25 controls the mechanism for closing the switch, while the gear 26 controls the mechanism for opening the switch. Each of these gears has its dial transversely divided by a suitable division line into normally upper and lower portions, the upper portion caring the numerals 1 to 12 inclusive and intermediate half hour division lines, re resenting the first twelve hours of the day, w 'Ie the lower ortion is similarly marked to represent the ast twelve hours of the. day. In addition, the up er halfof the dial of gear 25 .is marked n A. M., and the lower half thereof On P'. M. while the corresponding ortions of the dial of gear 26 are respectivelly marked Off A. M. and "Off P. M., thus indicating the required degree of adjustment of the hands or pointers to set the switch mechanism for respectively closing and opening the switch at any time during the twentyfour hours of the day.

Bellcrank trip levers 37 and 37' are pivotally mounted upon the cover section of the casing for operation by the respective earns 33 and 34. Each lever has one of its arms provided with a finger 38 adapted to be engaged by the convex surface of the coacting cam, and its other arm formed with a pair of spaced fingers 39. The fingers 39 of the two trip levers loosely engage the arms 40 of corresponding oscillatory detents 41 and 41' pivotally mounted upon the wall 12 and body of the cover section, each of said detents being in the form of an open rectangular loop, into the receiving spaces of which detents' project the opposite free ends of a plate sprin 42 intermediately fixed to the wall 12, sai spring 0 crating to move the (letents to retracted osition. This action of the spring is resiste b the frictional en a ement of the cam wit the fingers 38 o t e two trip levers, so that when the points of the cams move out of engagement with said fingers the ring will operate to throw the detents to t eir fully retracted position. As the cams turn wit the gears 25 and 26 they swin thev trip levers 37 and 37' and thus gra ually permit retractive movement of the detents, which, however, reach a full retracted position only when the points of the cams pass out of enga ement with the fingers 38.

rranged upon the rear casing section 3 is a pair of restraining arms or levers 43 and 43', each havin at one end a spring-actuated finger 44, the fin ers of the two arms or levers being arrange( for en agement with the respective detents 41 an the arms or levers, when set, are held from movement until released by the detents when the latter reach their fully retracted position. The said arms or levers are pivotally connected at their opposite ends with the wall 8-, as respectively indicated at 45 and .45, and adjacent to their points of pivotal connection with the casing are also pivotally connected with the switch-operatin devices, whose movements the contro through the action of the trips. he spring fingers 44 are freely movable in a direction to ermit them to enga e the trips, b'ut rigi from movement in t e opposite direc-.

tion to maintain them in engagement with the trips until released by the retractive movement of the letter.

41 whereby The switch-operating devices comprise a pair of sliding rods 46 and 46' vertically mounted in the to and bottom walls of the section 3 said ro s being pivotally and slidabl connected with the arms 43 and 43 by col are or sleeves 46 and 46 slidably engaging the arms and pivotally mounted on the rods, thus permitting swinging movement of the arms under the sliding motionof the rods. The rod 46 is rovided at its upper end with a downwardly bent ortion forming a wrist 47 and an arm 48, t e free end of which latter is slidably mounted in the upper wall of the casing section 3' and projects into the latter. A coiled spring 49 is connected at its upper end to the arm 48 and at its lower en to the rod 46, and a second coiled spring is connected at its upper end to the top wall 6 of the casing section 3' and at its lower end to the rod 46, the spring 49 thus yieldably connecting the two rods 46 and 46 together, while the spring 50 acts directly upon the rod 46' and indirectly upon the rod 46 through the spring 49 connecting the two rods together. A bracket 51 engages the wrist 47 and has pivotall con nected therewith a rod 52 which slida ly engages a bracket 53 rigidly connected with a rock shaft 54 journaled in a bearing member 55 on the upper wall of the section 3, said shaft having an angular arm 56 which is connected by a link rod 57 with the cross piece or handle of the switch 2. The lower end of the rod 46 extends below the casing and carries a knob or other suitable finger piece 58 by which the switch-operating devices may be drawn downward to swing the restraining arms 43 and 43 into en agement with the trips 41 and 41 when the atter are set to control the operation of the a paratus.

It will be understood from the oregoin description that the gear 25 and associate cam 33 controls the switch-operating device 46 throng? the trip 41 and arm 43, which latter is action of the spring 49 by the trip, to nor mally maintain the switch open and to close the switch and also the lamp circuit when the lever 37 is released by the cam 33, while the gear 26 and associated cam 34 controls the switch-operating device 46 through the trip 41 and arm 43, which latter is held against movement under the action of both springs 49 and 50 by said trip, to allow the switch to remain closed and to effect the opening of said switch at a predetermined interval after it has been closed by the action of the cam 34 in releasing the trip lever 37. As the distance which the operating portions of the cams act upon the trip levers is regulated in an obvious manner by the adjustment of the cams to have a determined range of movement through their adjusting spindles, it will be apparent that said cams ma be set so that one will effect thethrow o the switch eld against movement under the to closed position at anydetermined time during the day or night, while the other will effect the opening 0 the switch at any sub sequent hour or predetermined time thereafter. Thus, by moving the pointer 35 opposite the numeral 9 on the portion A. M. of the dial, the switch will be closed at that hour, while by moving the pointer 36 to the mark 3 on the P. M. ortion of the dial of gear 26, the switch Wlll be opened at that hour, it being understood from the foregoing description that the gears 25 and 26 turn synchronousl with the pinion 30 and rotate in a counterc ockwise direction, in which di rection the riointers are also turned to set the cams for re easing action at predetermined periods. 7

After the setting mechanism has beenadjusted and the detents moved thereby to projected position, the switch-operating devices are set by drawing downward on the knob 58. By this action both rods 46 and 46 will be drawn downward, the rod 46 to a. very slight degree and the rod 46 to a greater degree to bring the fingers of the arms 43 and 43 into engagement with the detents, which action but slightly moves the switch toward the contacts 3, as shown in Fig. 2, and simultaneously expands both sprin s 49 and 50 to place them under tension un er which they exert a down pull on the rod 46 and an up pull on the rod 46, motion 6f the rods in t e stated directions being prevented by the engagement of the arms with the detents. W on the cam 33 retracts the detent 41, however, the rod 46 will be released for movement, and will be pulled downward by the s ring 49, thus throwing the switch to close position through the intervening con nections and closin the lamp circuit, as shown in Fig. 10. Vhen at a later period the trip 41 is similarly retracted by the cam 34, the rod 46 will be released and will be drawn upward, as shown in Fig. 11, by the spring 50 and will strike the coupling 51 and force the rod 46 upward, whereby both rods will be returned to normal posi-tlon and the switch thrown open, thus cutting the lamp circuit out of connection with the supply circuit.

From theforegoing description, the construction and mode of operation of the apparatus will be readily understood, and it will be seen that the same may be set to open and close the switch at any desired predetermined eriods and intervening intervals. When t e setting mechanism is adjusted for opening and closing the circuit at fixed hours, it will be ap arent that by simply pulling down u on t e knob 58 the apparatus may be set or action, thus enabling it to be controlled in a simple manner.

Havin thus fully described the invention, what is c aimed as new is 1. In an electric time switch, the combinetion of a switch, a sliding operating device connected therewith, said device being adapted in normal position to hold the switch open and in its operating movement to close the switch, a second sliding device for returning said operatin device to normal position after the switc closing action to open the switch, a contractile spring connecting said devices, a second contractile spring connecting the second sliding device with a fixed su port, means associated with the second sliding device for setting said devices for action, restraining means for holding the devices from action by their springs,

5 and time-controlled means governing said restraining means to release such devices for action at prescribed intervals.

2. In an electric time switch, the combination of a switch, a sliding element connected with the switch, said element being adapted in normal position to hold the switch open and on its operating movement to close the switch, a second slidin operating element adapted to return the rst name element after actuation to normal position, springs for operatin said elements, restraining devices for hol ing said elements against action by their springfi, and time-controlled means for throwing t e restraining devices out of action at prescribed interva s.

3. In an electric time switch, the combination of a switch, a sliding operating element connected therewith, said element being movable in one direction to open the switch and in the reverse direction to close the switch, a second sliding element for returning the first-named element to switch-opening position, springs for operating said elements,

means for simultaneousl setting said elements to place their springs under tension, restraining means for independently holding the elements against action by their springs, and time-controlled means for successively rendering said restraining means inoperative to release said devices for action in successive order at prescribed intervals.

4. In an electric time switch, the combina tion of a switch, a sliding operating element connected therewith, said element bein movable in reverse directions to open an close the switch, a second sliding element operative to return the first-named device to normal or switch-opening osition, setting means connected with said second sliding element, a contractile spring connecting the elements, a second contractile spring connecting the second-named element with a fixed support, restraining devices for holding said element against 0 eration by their springs, and time-contro ed means governing said restraining'devices.

5. In an electric time switch, the combination of a switch, a sliding operating element therefor, a second sliding element for returning said operating element to normal position, the operating element being adapted in such position to hold the switch open, spring means for o crating said elements, means for holding t e elements against 0 eration by their sprin s, and time-controlle means governing the olding means to successively effect the actuation of the operating element and said second element to close and open the switch at prescribed intervals.

6. In an electric time switch, the combination of a switch, a sliding operating device therefor movable in reverse directions to open and close the switch, a second sliding element having a settin knob or handle connected therewith and a apted to return the operating element to normal position, a

spring connecting the elements, a. spring connecting the second element with a stationary support, devices for respectively holding sai elements from operation by their springs, and time-controlled means governing said devices to successively release the elements for operation at prescribed intervals.

7. In an electric time switch, the combination of a switch, a sliding operating device connected therewith, a second sliding device having a setting knob or handle and operativeto return said operating device to normal position, springs for operating said devices, retaining arms slidably and pivotally connected with said sliding devices, detents for engaging said retaining arms, and timecontrolled means for retracting the detents at prescribed intervals.

8. In an electric time switch, the combination of a switch, a sliding operating device therefor, a second sliding operating device for returning said operating device to normal position, means for holding said operating devices from action, a time piece and releasing devices operated b the timepiece and controlling said holding devices or releasing said operating devices to close and 0 en the switch at prescribed intervals.

9. 1 an electric time switch, the combination of a switch, a time piece, switchoperating means embodying two sliding members spring actuated to successively close and open the switch, retaining devices including detents for holding said members from action, operating devices for throwing the detents out of action, gears operated in unison by the time piece cams directly operated by said gears for actuating the operating devices, and setting means associated with said gears for adjusting said devices to operate at variable intervals.

10. In an electric time switch, the combination of a switch, a sliding operating element for closing the switch, a second sliding operating element for opening the switch and returning the first named element to normal position, springs for actuating said elements, detents for holding the elements in set position against movement a time piece, In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 0 erating devices controlling the detents inin presence of two witnesses. c uding releasing elements, gears actuated by the time piece and carrying cams fqr directly 5 operating said releasing elements and setting Witnesses:

means associated with said gears for adjust- GEO. W. Hroxox, ing the cams to operate at variable intervals. FRED O. WRIGHT.

WILLIAM E. RICHTER. 

